


Changing Seasons

by hinotoriii



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Crimson Flower route spoilers, F/M, Fluff, Mild spoiler for Blue Lion route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2020-10-25 13:21:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20724869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hinotoriii/pseuds/hinotoriii
Summary: The war against the Church has come to an end, and although much work remains, those of the Black Eagles Strike Force begin to prepare for the next stages in their lives.For Hubert, that includes a rather important decision he hadn't given much consideration before.





	Changing Seasons

**Author's Note:**

> ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ
> 
> After playing through the Crimson Flower route this little story idea started forming. So, I decided to take a break from my Blue Lions focused multi-chaptered fic to give some love to one of my surprise favourite Black Eagles members, Hubert.
> 
> Spoilers for Crimson Flower route (especially it's ending).  
Mild spoiler for Blue Lion route (mentioned once, via Edelgard).
> 
> I hope you lovely readers enjoy ♥

Edelgard is staring out the window into the monastery grounds when she hears the door open and close, the quiet footsteps following belonging only to Hubert. Even without turning she can picture how he looks; hand held to his chest as he bows, voice calm as he greets her in his familiar formal way.

"Lady Edelgard." There's a brief pause as his glance moves around the room. "You did not call for Byleth to be present also?"

"No," Edelgard replies. She slowly turns, acknowledging Hubert's presence. "I requested for her to continue to rest for the time being. She wasn't happy about it mind you, but agreed that it was for the best."

"I dare say she wasn't," Hubert says, shaking his head with a frown. "She's too stubborn for her own good, sometimes."

A fond smile rises upon Edelgard's lips. Despite how long the two of them have been together, Edelgard still found it sweet how much both Hubert and Byleth cared so strongly for one another. 

"That same stubbornness has helped us win this war," Edelgard says, stepping around the ornate desk near the window she'd been looking out of. Her gloved hand traces over the varnished wood, gliding against the desk as she moves. She soon comes to a stop beside it, resting her hip against the edge as she lets out a long sigh.

"Rhea is finally dead, the corruption of the church fallen with her. Although I wish we could truly bask in this momentous victory, it remains clear to me that our work is far from over."

"Indeed," Hubert agrees, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yet there is little we _ can _ do right now until we return to Enbarr. Strategically we'll need to take time as we consider our options, avoiding the possibility of making any rash decisions. Already I fear your uncle is simply waiting for us to use this victory we hold as a complacent belief to strike out in violence against him."

"Knowing him, I fear you're right."

She’s already waiting for the inevitable meeting with him once they make it back home. The memory of his words still settle uneasily within her, and Edelgard remains wary of what he might try next.

“We must remain on our guard also,” Hubert continues. “I suspect there is still suspicion held towards us after Cornelia’s death.”

“That’s a guaranteed certainty. We’ll want to be sure that no matter how we act next, it doesn’t spark a repeat of what happened to Arianrhod.”

Edelgard’s brow creases with frustration. The loss of Arianrhod is something which still manages to anger her; if not for the advantages that had fallen with its destruction then for the huge loss of life. She’d always known her uncle was a monster. The actions he took to send her a message only validated the contempt she held towards him.

“... These are all concerns which we can look further into at a later date, Lady Edelgard,” says Hubert. “Do not allow the future to take away from our current successes. Rhea’s death is a grand achievement. With it, you can finally make the world better for all.”

Edelgard shakes her head. “Such a daunting task. I hardly know where to begin.” She pauses, appearing thoughtful for a second. “I have a few ideas, but I shall wait until we return to the Imperial Capital to truly make a decision.”

She knows change is something that progresses slowly, and not to be forced overnight. It will take time for people to adjust to some of the reformations that are to come, especially to that of the Crest system.

Thankfully, Edelgard knows she won’t be alone. There are many amongst her allies and friends whom she feels she can trust help encourage new changes. Truthfully she can’t help but to feel rather excited to see what the future will bring, especially since there is a path clear to such possibilities now.

Not to mention, both Hubert and Byleth will be by her side. The two whom she trusted above all else, whom Edelgard owes much to.

"I've requested a lot from you recently, Hubert. More than I usually do. I wish to thank you."

"Your gratitude is hardly necessary, Lady Edelgard."

Hubert shakes his head, prompting Edelgard to frown.

"It _ is _ necessary. You've always gone above and beyond your duty in serving me. This past month alone has tested us all, and I truly do not know if we would be standing victorious if it weren’t for everyone’s determination in the end. But it’s also in part to the devotion both yourself and Byleth carry in everything you do that we were able to win. _ I _would not have gotten this far without you, my old friend.”

Edelgard finds herself struggling with the weight of what else she wishes to say. She pushes on, her voice much softer and carrying a sadness laced within it.

"I fully intend to make sure Byleth knows how grateful I am for her aid too. After Rhea fell - there was a … moment. A moment where I feared I’d never get a chance to do so.” She pauses, staring down at where her hands have come to rest before her. “I understand it was likely more difficult for you, seeing her like that. But … she is a dear friend. I am incredibly relieved she survived."

Edelgard scrunches up her eyes, memories of when she held Byleth's lifeless body in her arms springing vividly to her mind. It's something she'll never forget, flickering images of that moment likely already planning to haunt her forever, finding a way to torment her just like the fate of her siblings clings to her.

She had carried concerns before they made their way to Faerghus. Edelgard hadn’t known what would happen to Byleth in the end, what Rhea’s defeat would mean for her and the divine power she wielded. She had hoped they’d be lucky, that Byleth would be fine.

It had all happened so fast.

One moment Byleth had been standing beside her. The next, Edelgard was reaching for her, holding her close as she fell to the ground. A thought flickered through her mind as she looked upon Byleth’s face, wondering if the trade of defeating Rhea had been worth losing her.

For the first time in years Edelgard had cried. Violent, racking sobs left her as her body trembled, her head buried against Byleth’s chest, clinging to the body of the woman whom she so admired. She hadn’t even been able to shed a tear when she’d killed Dimitri, and he had been her step-brother, yet _ Byleth _ -

Edelgard wasn’t certain how long she sat there, amidst roaring fire and blood stained streets. All she remembers is the sound of Hubert calling her name in worry, her heart shattering further at the thought of what he’d find.

Knowing something was wrong, Hubert feared Edelgard had been injured. She heard his voice as he spoke, asking if she were alright, yet all she could do was cry harder. It wasn’t until he moved to sit beside her that she sensed it: the stillness in the air as Hubert saw Byleth.

In all her years of knowing him Hubert had never been one to show others how he was feeling. Yet as he knelt beside them he reached out a shaking hand, lightly brushing away a strand of green hair which had fallen across Byleth’s face. Gently Edelgard helped to guide her into his arms, understanding that her pain was likely nothing in comparison to how he was feeling. For once she couldn’t bring herself to look at him, knowing that whatever expression he wore would be enough to break her completely.

It was only after she had moved her hand away that she noticed Byleth's hair slowly returning back to its natural blue hue.

Edelgard had gasped then. She held her breath as she watched Hubert nervously press his ear against her chest, a nagging voice in her mind reminding her that Byleth’s heart didn’t sing, that it had never known rhythm -

\- then Hubert spoke. 

"It's beating."

She feels a firm hand rest against her shoulder. Edelgard’s eyes open, pulling her out of the memory. Her gaze flickers up to where Hubert has moved to stand by her side, seeing how he watches her with concern.

"Lady Edelgard. What happened to Byleth was difficult for the both of us. Do not act as if your care for her is in any way less important. After all, Byleth values your friendship highly."

"You're right," Edelgard agrees, giving a small nod. “Thank you, Hubert. Truly. But … I must ask. How have you been faring?”

Hubert seems to hesitate, as if searching for the best way to answer Edelgard’s question. She waits, watching as he battles against settling for the truth, or a lie to soothe her concerns.

Thankfully, Hubert must realise that Edelgard would see through any such false assurances. He lets out a long sigh, and Edelgard notices that he seems rather tired.

“Byleth’s fate has given me ... perspective, I suppose you could say.”

“Perspective?” Edelgard asks, curious as to what Hubert means.

Hubert steps away, moving to focus his attention on a nearby bookcase in the room. A silence stretches between them before he eventually responds, his voice softer than it had been before.

“I’d never considered marriage before. At least not in the sense that I have been as of late. Ever since our return from Faerghus it has been on my mind more and more. Isn’t that not strange?”

Shock hits Edelgard. Her eyes grow wide, and for a moment finds herself lost for words.

“Hubert -” she begins, taking a step towards him. “Are you - are you planning to propose?”

Hubert is quiet, although from the way he’s started wringing his hands Edelgard realises that he is anxious. It’s unusual to notice such a thing, Hubert is known for playing his emotions close to his chest. He’d become more relaxed over the years, but even for Edelgard it is still rare to see him so unsettled over something.

The quiet that passes speaks volumes, providing Edelgard with the answer she already knows. A smile rises upon her lips - bright and joyous in light of this new discovery - and Edelgard makes her way to where Hubert stands.

“For once, set your duty to me aside and _ follow your heart_.” Edelgard comes to a stop beside her old friend, setting a reassuring hand on his arm. “Nothing delights me more than seeing how happy you and Byleth are together. I cannot think of two people more deserving of one another.”

Hubert turns to face her, brow furrowed in confusion but eyes alight with … optimism?

“You would approve of such a union?”

“If you were truly happy,” Edelgard replies, letting out a joyful laugh. “For so long I have worried that your duty to me could overshadow other ambitions and loves you have, but I see now that I need not have such concerns. In a way I am relieved in knowing you and Byleth have each other, rather than either of you being with someone who could hurt you both in some way. If it were my blessings you are looking for, know that you have them.”

She watches as Hubert seems to contemplate her words, noticing the way his shoulders relax. He raises a hand to rest against his chin, pensive expression falling over his features reminiscent to how he would focus intently on his work.

“Such blessing is reassuring to hear, not to mention very much appreciated. And your enthusiasm is encouraging. However -” a pause, Hubert’s brow furrowed in thought “ - I do not even know if she would accept.”

There is an uncertainty held within his words, some rare spark of vulnerability. Edelgard breathes out a long sigh, shaking her head as her heart aches over how his lingering uncertainty looms over Hubert’s thoughts like a dark cloud.

“Let me give you some advice, Hubert,” she says, gently. Edelgard squeezes the hand she still has on Hubert’s arm, offering him some semblance of support. “The not knowing is part of the risk. What _ you _ must ask yourself is whether or not the risk is worth taking. I can tell you what I think will happen and how I believe Byleth will react, but that is only my belief in having known you both as I do. The decision itself rests on you.

“But know this,” Edelgard waits for Hubert’s eyes to meet hers, hesitant uncertainty matching steel resolve. “Byleth is not a cruel woman. No matter what would happen, if she were to reject such a proposal, it would not be due to a lack of love on her part.”  
  
  


* * *

  
Edelgard’s words linger within Hubert’s mind over the next few days.

She had always been wise - her intellect happened to be one of the many qualities Hubert both admired and respected about her - yet Hubert hadn’t ever really considered such perception to transfer _ away _ from matters of state towards that of the heart. The more he thought about it the more he could see how it made sense. After all, despite her authoritative edge Edelgard had always been one to care about those important to her. It was a quality she held which used to concern Hubert in his younger years, worrying that any of their enemies could see her kindness as either a weakness or a weapon which could be used against her.

Now that he is older Hubert’s come to understand a little better the importance of forming bonds built upon trust. He’s thankful for the compassionate hand Edelgard can deal, knowing well that she could just as easily wield cruelty to strike back against her enemies.

Since their talk, Hubert’s tried not to focus too much on his growing thoughts on marriage.

The Black Eagle Strike Force has had so much they’ve needed to do before they were to leave Garreg Mach, for good this time. Instead of entertaining the strange new desire Hubert instead decided to dive into his own work, pushing such distractions to the back of his mind until he felt he would truly be ready to entertain them - if such a day were to ever present itself, that is. Truthfully their remains too much uncertainty surrounding the idea, and Hubert doesn’t enjoy how uneasy they’ve been making him feel.

He does so hate being out of his element, after all.

In regards to Byleth, Hubert has only really had the chance to speak with her once since his meeting with Edelgard. He hasn’t been avoiding her - after how close he came to losing her, such a thought is far from his mind - she’s simply been busy herself with her own healing and various duties. She’d just been leaving the greenhouses when their paths crossed, selection of flowers gathered in her hands.

_ “What are the flowers for?” He asks. _

_ Sadness falls upon Byleth’s expression, clear as night. She glances down thoughtfully at the selection she holds. _

_ “These are for Felix,” Byleth replies, voice as quiet as a whisper on the wind. _

_ Her sadness immediately makes sense then. Felix’s death during the final battle had come as a shock to all, yet his actions made him a hero. If it hadn’t been for his sacrifice, both Sylvain and Bernadetta would have been lost to them. _

_ Hubert had never really been close to the man, but he knew Byleth had. Together they shared an unspoken bond of respect, one that was never questioned and never strained. Whether it had been because they were both natural fighters or kindred spirits, neither of them really knew. But they were good friends, and she mourned his loss. _

_ “Dorothea and I thought we’d make a wreath for his grave,” Byleth continues. “It’s the least we could do. Bernadetta suggested the colours.” _

_ “A fine idea,” Hubert replies, giving a slight nod. “Would you like any help with anything?” _

_ “No, thank you. If you see Sylvain though ... would you let him know that I was looking for him? I’ve been wanting to make sure he’s alright, but I haven’t been able to find him myself.” _

_ “I will. But have you thought that maybe he doesn’t _ want _ to be found?” _

_ “Oh, I’m very aware,” Byleth says, shaking her head with a sigh. “But he shouldn’t be alone for too long. Not with this. He needs his time to process his grief, to know how it’ll change him. But … he also needs to see that we’re all here to support one another. Even if it is just for a moment or two.” _

As he makes his way up the steps of the Goddess Tower, Hubert’s thoughts fall to the sadness he’s seen her wear throughout the war. To him the loss of some of the familiar faces from their academy days was simply a necessity, a way to eliminate any opposition to Edelgard’s goals. He held no real connection towards many of the other students outside the Black Eagles. Mostly he kept them at such a distance in his youth, so much so that he could hardly call them friends.

He knew it was much different for Byleth however.

Byleth _ had _built connections with them. For many she had been a beloved professor, others a colleague, and for some, a close friend. She still wouldn’t talk about what befell Seteth - although Hubert trusts her enough to know he’s not a threat to Edelgard or their plans any longer - and Byleth had been especially mournful after both Dedue and Dimitri’s deaths.

He knows she wishes there had been some other way.

But Hubert also knew that Byleth understood clearly what war meant. That it takes, and it takes, and it takes. That war was a cruel mistress who accepted no substitutes for her victims.

As he reaches the top of the Tower, Hubert is surprised to find he isn’t alone.

Standing ahead of him, her arms resting upon the stone as she looks out of the window, Byleth watches the sun set in the distance. She quickly comes to realise she has company, slowly turning her head to see who it is that has joined her. Hubert watches how her face lights up with ease at seeing him, her lips curling into a soft smile.

“Hello, Hubert.”

At the sound of her voice Hubert moves forward to stand beside her. Byleth watches him, the burnt glow of the setting sun reflecting upon her face, reminding Hubert of the divine power she no longer wields. Seeing her with her old blue hair is still a little strange, yet not so much as knowing why it had originally turned to light green in the first place.

Hubert’s finds he's grown tired of seeing how drastically Crests can change people, even if it were only through small matters such as that of their appearance.

“How have you been feeling?” He finally asks. A question which, truthfully, has been lingering between them since they’d returned from Faerghus.

Byleth scrunches her nose, turning her body around and leaning her back against the stone. She crosses her arms over her chest, frowning.

“Strange,” she admits, looking towards him out of the corner of her eye. She sighs, before shaking her head. “I don’t know. I’m still not really used to … this -” she waves a hand vaguely to where her heart sits within her chest “- beating. At first it frightened me.”

“You _ have _ lived your whole life not knowing what a beating heart feels like,” Hubert reasons. “It would be understandable to feel overwhelmed.”

Byleth breaths out a little huff.

“I wish it were just feeling overwhelmed. I honestly don’t know how everybody else lives with it. I’ve managed to grow used to its normal behaviour, especially after Manuela informed me what to expect that kind of behaviour to be. But it’s the _ unexpected _ things that keep me stumbling.”

Hubert frowns, concern leaking its way into his voice.

“What do you mean by _ unexpected?” _

“Well, take yesterday as an example. I noticed Caspar doing something … let’s say, _ questionable _ , and for a moment I felt as if I were _ choking _ on my own heart - like it was lodged right in my throat. For a moment I was terrified, wondering what was wrong with me. Thank goodness Mercedes was with me to calm me down. I wasn’t even aware that was a possible way to _ feel _before.”

Relief quickly floods through Hubert, and he can’t help the way his lips curve in amusement as he grows to understand what it is she is describing.

“I think you’ll find that’s a normal way to feel whenever it comes to Caspar and his various antics. You’ll grow used to it.”

Byleth raises an eyebrow, seemingly unsure.

“So it’s … normal, then?” she asks.

“For some, yes,” Hubert replies. “Personally, I often feel like reminding him of his own stupidity, but it hardly does any good.”

Byleth laughs, the sound surprising Hubert. She’d laughed before, of course, but … it seems to come a little easier for her now. A little more natural.

“That seems about right. He _ does _ mean well...”

“You don’t need to make excuses for him,” Hubert says. “If he’s acting like an idiot to the point he causes that kind of a reaction in you, then tell him so. He’ll probably pay more attention to you than he does to me anyway, what with how much respect he holds towards you.”

“It’s alright,” Byleth replies, shaking her head. "It’s just as you said; I need to get used to this. It just ... all feels so_ new _, adjusting to a beating heart. I guess it's a bit like waking up from a long nap.”

Hubert tilts his head to one side, considering.

“You’ve done that before, also. Five years or so, I believe.”

Byleth gives a light slap to his arm. 

“Alright,” she admits amidst another little laugh. “Perhaps that was the wrong example to use.”

“I know what you meant,” says Hubert, softly. He reaches out, clasping her hand tightly in his own. “Promise me. No more surprises, Byleth. I lost you once, and almost lost you again. I would very much like to avoid losing you a third time.”

Byleth’s expression softens, sharing a saddened look. The hand which Hubert isn’t holding rests against his cheek, Byleth’s thumb rubbing in gentle, soothing circles against the skin.

“I’m sorry I worried you,” she replies. “I’m still not completely sure what happened, or why it was my Crest disappeared so suddenly after Rhea died. I don’t think I’ll ever know, truly. But I am thankful to still be alive.”

Hubert takes the hand she has pressed against his cheek, bringing the palm towards his mouth so he could press a light kiss against it. His grip tightens slightly, almost as if he were convincing himself that she stands before him and isn't some phantom of a memory. 

“As am I.”

They stand there for some time, basking in the moment they’ve managed to steal away from the rest of the world. Together they silently appreciate how lucky they are - how lucky _Byleth_ is - knowing that her fate could have ended very differently.

After a while however Hubert pulls away, breathing out a long and tired sigh. 

“Unfortunately, our work is far from over.” He pauses, noting how Byleth’s brow furrows at the changing topic. “Although the war is over, matters of the government will be our main focus now, naturally. Not to mention that matters of diplomacy and justice will need to also be dealt with.”

Byleth’s shoulders fall slightly, as if suddenly bogged down beneath the invisible weight of their responsibilities. She does not complain however. Instead she nods, agreeing.

“I know. Edelgard’s already begun speaking to me about some of the thoughts she has for when we eventually return to the Capital. She’s been quiet on what my work will be for now, but I know that’ll soon change.” Byleth pauses to meet Hubert’s gaze. “You’ll be settling into your role as Imperial Minister as soon as return. Well. Whatever the role entails away from the battlefield, at least.”

“Government and politics can be much like a battleground in their own regard. But … yes. I will be focused on ordinary matters rather than those related to warfare.”

“It must feel strange,” Byleth says. “To be returning home, knowing that the last long, five years of war have finally come to an end.”

Hubert knows that for Byleth, time must feel even stranger. She’d only been involved in the war during its final year, and to her the events which happened during the academy’s final days were as clear as if they’d only happened yesterday. Even now he expects she must occasionally wonder upon all the things she missed during her five year absence.

Maybe it’s the reminder of how strange living without her had proven in those stressful years, or perhaps the way she’s watching him as if he were the most fascinating person in the world. Somehow though, Hubert finds an unfamiliar source of courage within him. Enough that his next works are spoken without any real thought or calculation.

“In a way it is. But before we can focus our attention on any other pressing concerns, there is one problem in particular which must be sorted prior to our return.”

“Oh?” Byleth asks, head tilting to one side curiously. “What problem would that be?”

“You,” Hubert replies. Byleth’s eyes widen with shock, so he continues. “Rather … you and me.”

He realises how his words sound a moment too late, panicking slightly as Byleth already takes a slow step back. A flash of pain crosses her features, vanishing as quickly as it appears.

“I … wasn’t aware we had any problems,” she says, tone cautious.

Her hand presses against her chest, right above where her heart now beats, likely trying to make sense of another strange new rhythm she has never felt it sing before. Hubert steps forward, breaking the distance Byleth had stretched out between the two of them.

“We don't. My apologies, I misspoke,” Hubert hurries to explain, reaching out for her. Byleth watches him warily, not moving. Her silence enough is guidance for him to explain what it is he means.

Feeling frustrated with himself, Hubert shakes his head.

“To think, I had rehearsed a long preamble. Now, when it truly matters, every word of it has vanished from my memory.”

Byleth raises an eyebrow.

“What would you possibly need to speak with me about that needed rehearsing, Hubert?”

Hesitantly, Hubert tries to take Byleth’s hand. She moves it away from her chest, tentatively meeting where his hand waits. It’s only when she takes it that she feels the way it trembles against her own - something Hubert knows she picks up on from how her eyes widen again.

“Byleth. I know I don’t say it often, at least not as often as you deserve. But I … love you.”

“You don’t need to say it me. I already know,” Byleth replies, her wariness fading at last into a soft smile. Hubert pushes on, knowing he can’t walk around the subject forever.

“I wish to marry you.”

Surprise fills Byleth’s expression for the second time, her mouth hanging open. Hubert watches as she blinks a few times, mouth moving as she tries to form words but fails, before settling on staring at him. Her silence unnerves him, so much so Hubert finds himself continuing.

“I have already spoken to Lady Edelgard. She is supportive, so much so that she told me that I should follow my heart. We would have her blessing. That is … if you wanted to marry, of course.”

“How can you ask me that?” Byleth asks, hand tightening around his own reassuringly. “Of _ course _ I’ll marry you.”

“You will?” Hubert asks, close to disbelieving. Byleth nods, a little laugh breaking free from her lips.

“Yes, Hubert. I will. In fact ...“

Byleth moves her hands, fiddling with the necklace she always keeps around her neck. Hubert waits curiously, wondering what it is she is doing. It doesn’t take long for her to finish, giving him a somewhat shy smile.

“Hold out your hand.”

Hubert does. Gently, Byleth sets a ring down in his palm. A ring that is instantly recognisable to him, so much so that Hubert forgets how to breathe.

“My father gave me this ring,” Byleth goes on to explain, voice as soft and as pleasant as a spring morning. “It used to be my mothers. He always told me that when he died the ring would automatically pass to me, and that I should keep a hold of it until I found someone I loved. He wanted me to find happiness - the same happiness he said he always felt being with my mother.

“The ring is yours now, Hubert. There’s no one I would rather trust it to.”

For a long moment Hubert is speechless. Worried over how Byleth would respond to his own proposal, he had not for once thought she would be offering him such a treasured gift from her parents. Why, he hasn’t even brought a ring for _ her _, let alone expected one in return.

He’s suddenly aware of how _very_ unprepared for this discussion he had been.

“You’ve outdone me,” he says, breathing out a nervous laugh as he avoids her delighted gaze. “I have brought no such token in which I can exchange with you. I suppose that makes me not much of a suitor really, does it?”

“Why?" Byleth asks, tilting her head to one side curiously. "Because you don’t have a ring prepared for me?”

Hubert sighs heavily.

“You know that I’ve never been one who does well expressing how I feel through the use of gifts and flattery. To protect and watch out for you is easy. But ... to be what one would call a good husband …”

“_Hubert._"

Byleth’s fingertips lightly rests beneath his chin, stopping Hubert's stream of thought and gently guiding him to look at her once more. His gaze moves reluctantly, yet before he can worry himself over how he were to face the look of sadness he expects to be met with, Byleth instead manages to surprise him by closing the distance between them and pressing a kiss against his lips.

He feels Byleth slowly slip the ring she treasures so dearly over his gloved finger. She distracts him as she does so, smiling into the kiss in a way that relaxes him, the tension which had built within his shoulders fading as quickly as it had appeared.

It’s a kiss which ends far too soon. When she finally pulls away his gaze followers hers, and all he sees is bright happiness lighting up her expression.

“Please,_ don’t worry _about such things. I know you’ll make a fine husband, at least to me. Is that not what truly matters?”

For the time being the words are a relief to hear, so much so that Hubert smiles. He wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her closer into him so he can rest his chin upon the crown of her head. Byleth moves into the embrace easily, wrapping her own arms around him in return. 

“Of course such a thing doesn’t bother you,” he mumbles softly into her hair.

Byleth has always been different. It one of the many qualities that drew him to her in the first place, back when his distrust towards her had caused him to act rudely towards her. How she had ever forgiven him for his foolish behaviour towards her Hubert is sure he'll never understand, but he's ever grateful for the chance Byleth had given him.

“Thank you. For doing me this great honour.”

“The honour is mine,” Byleth answers. “Thank you for loving me."

Hubert’s lips quirk into a small smile.

It had never been hard to love her. To admit to himself that he loves her - yes, that he _had_ struggled with - but after, the rest had happened naturally.

And although he still sometimes struggles to show or voice how he truly feels, Hubert silently vows that he’ll take the time to learn and improve for her. Promises himself that he will no longer fear speaking with his heart rather than with pure logic.

After all, Byleth certainly deserves such heartfelt honesty.


End file.
